Police sorry after ‘appalling’ racist treatment

Avon and Somerset Constabulary has offered an ‘unreserved apology’ to Tajudeen Taiwo and his family for a failure to protect them after the ‘appalling racist treatment’, both at the time of the incident and afterwards.

The mistakes were brought to light by Mr Taiwo, also known as Deen, after he fell victim to a racially-motivated attack in Brue Close on the Bournville estate in August 2012.

After Mr Taiwo moved a neighbour’s motorbike so he could open the door to his van, a group of 10-15 white adults arrived at his house, chanting racial abuse and threatening to kill him.

Mr Taiwo’s head was banged against a wall, cracking it open.

He went into his kitchen and walked out with a knife to protect himself and his five-year-old daughter, who had witnessed the attack on her father.

Two 999 calls were made to police. One said Mr Taiwo, aged 53, had been the victim of a racial assault. The second reported that a black man had a knife.

On arrival, police found 10-15 white men and Mr Taiwo, empty-handed and covered in blood from his head wound.

Mr Taiwo was threatened with a taser, arrested and detained for 35 hours, where he was charged with possession of an offensive weapon and threats to kill.

Mr Taiwo told police he had been the victim of a racially-motivated attack, but his allegation was not recorded or investigated, which goes against the constabulary’s hate crime policies.

Despite Mr Taiwo’s partner Kim Jones telling police her family were unsafe, no steps were taken to protect them.

Instead, housing association Knightstone Housing told Ms Jones her family would be evicted because her partner had been involved in a knife crime.

Now, three years on from the original incident, Avon and Somerset Constabulary has admitted it breached its duty under Article Three of the Human Rights Act.

The admission comes after Mr Taiwo contacted Bristol-based charity Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI) after an initial inquiry in 2013, ruled no officer had a conduct case to answer.

However, London solicitors firm Bhatt Murphy, brought civil action against the police on behalf of the family – and a fresh disciplinary panel concluded there had been a breach of duty.